Over the weeks since the first post we did on Dr. Cedrick Ngalande’s inexpensive power source for Africa, we’ve been emailing back and forth about his invention. Yesterday, he sent me a link to a video of his device on YouTube.
“The rotor moves slowly most of the times but does pick up at certain intervals. This process continues for many hours. Since the rotor is quite heavy (and hence more inertia) a small geared DC motor can be connected to the rotor to generate power for cell phones, $100 laptops, and other things in Africa. People can leave this thing to charge their phones/$100 laptops overnight.”
“Basically we have two chambers on either end of the rotating (pivoted) rod. The arrangement of the chambers is such that on either side of the rod, one chamber sits on top of the other (this is important). At the beginning of this operation, I fill the bottom chamber on each side with a yeast sugar solution. Each bottom chamber is always locked under pressure by special valves. Due to pressure the solution starts moving from a bottom chamber into its respective top chamber. Note that by moving upwards, the fluid’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a mass imbalance which causes the wobbling.
It should move slightly faster that what you see in the movie - it’s just that my values were a bit faulty and couldn’t hold all the pressure properly.”
Dr. Ngalande is looking for investors so that he can manufacture, market and sell this low-cost generator in Africa.
[...] Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator [AfriGadget] posted in: Green Favorite this! Send this to a Friend Older MODEM: Cold War Power Plant Transformed into Berlin Art and Music Venue Newer Africa Has Computers; What They Need is Software var federated_media_section = ”; [...]
[...] Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator [AfriGadget] posted in: Green Favorite this! Send this to a Friend Older MODEM: Cold War Power Plant Transformed into Berlin Art and Music Venue Newer Africa Has Computers; What They Need is Software var federated_media_section = ”; [...]
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I like the way this thing is built, but let me be honest: imho it will never work, i.e. there are much better, easier ways to obtain electrical energy from other environmentally sustainable (!) resources. Also, what about the production of CO2 from Yeast?
DC motor: ppl are much better off connecting such a generator/dynamo to the wheels of a handcart (mkokoteni)….
Still, it is very resourceful and a nice example to illustrate that smart ideas arent limited to “the West”.
I agree with the response above. This is a novel machine without real potential to be a commercial power generator. A bit like the dipping bird that used to be in many chemist windows.
The fast movement when the rotor reaches the horizontal is because liquid start to flow by gravity rather than by gas production. But this is why it rocks and the fast movement is short lived. All difficult for power generation. Investors need proof - so how much power can it produce per kg of sugar? otherwise lets calculate the mechanical energy from the gas production rates of the fermentation.
I suspect stories like this, which turn out to not be feasible reduce the value of the site - can’t we publicise the already succesful ideas / businesses, waiting to be repeated throughout Africa and the world?
What’s amazing, as I said once before regarding the solar powered donkey cart, is how many people spread the misinformation by linking and blogging, without any analysis.
Dave, that might or might not be true. History has proven time and again that innovation and invention are generally overlooked and/or looked down upon at first. I can’t say whether or not this invention will be a success, the market will decide that.
However, I can at least write about it. I highly doubt that writing stories of African inventors creating ingenious solutions for Africa will devalue this site. Whether it thrives or fails, it is exactly what this site is for.
[...] prototype for an inexpensive power source for Africa. You can watch a video of his device here.More news next week – if you spot something of interest in the meantime, email the Katine website [...]
[...] prototype for an inexpensive power source for Africa. You can watch a video of his device here.More news next week – if you spot something of interest in the meantime, email the Katine website [...]
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[...] the fluid’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a mass imbalance which causes the wobbling. Link to post with video. posted in: Gadgets , Innovation , Video , maker Favorite this! Send this to a [...]
[...] the fluid’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a mass imbalance which causes the wobbling. Link to post with video. posted in: Gadgets , Innovation , Video , maker Favorite this! Send this to a [...]
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[...] tons of weight (youtube.com)posted 0 minutes ago by osipov comment24.Small-scale generator powered by sugar and yeast for Africa [science] (afrigadget.com)posted 1 [...]
[...] tons of weight (youtube.com)posted 0 minutes ago by osipov comment24.Small-scale generator powered by sugar and yeast for Africa [science] (afrigadget.com)posted 1 [...]
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[...] to Google Latest Content Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator - 6 days ago Over the weeks since the first post we did on Dr. Cedrick Ngalande’s inexpensive [...]
[...] to Google Latest Content Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator - 6 days ago Over the weeks since the first post we did on Dr. Cedrick Ngalande’s inexpensive [...]
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Is this a joke? That video is like watching paint dry. Surely paying kids with candy (made from the sugar) to sit on an old bike with DC generator attached would produce much more energy?
Your Ad Here Afrigadget recently blogged about an inexpensive power source for Africa created by Dr. Cedrick Ngalande in Malawi. Today, the blog points to videos of the invention in action:The rotor moves slowly most of the times but does pick up at certain intervals. This process continues for many hours. Since the rotor is quite heavy (and hence more inertia) a small geared DC motor can be connected to the rotor to generate power for
Your Ad Here Afrigadget recently blogged about an inexpensive power source for Africa created by Dr. Cedrick Ngalande in Malawi. Today, the blog points to videos of the invention in action:The rotor moves slowly most of the times but does pick up at certain intervals. This process continues for many hours. Since the rotor is quite heavy (and hence more inertia) a small geared DC motor can be connected to the rotor to generate power for
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I agree with Dave Harcourt’s comments (above). To generate power you need a constant rotation, which this doesn’t have either in the regular cycles or the long-term cycles. Clearly not viable as a power source. A nice secondary school science project but a doomed business plan.
Often, when Africans invent gadgets like this, there’s a bit of paternalist “wow — isn’t this clever”. To the extent this permeates Afrigadget it diminishes it.
[...] the fluid’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a mass imbalance which causes the wobbling.Link to post with video. AdvertisingRelated Links· More about Cherries · News [...]
[...] the fluid’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a mass imbalance which causes the wobbling.Link to post with video. AdvertisingRelated Links· More about Cherries · News [...]
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[...] Here’s an interesting prototype of a generator using rotational motion, powered by sugar and yeast. It sounds like it just causes an imbalance in the system and gravity does the rest. I don’t think that he’s hooked a generator up to it yet, but it’s still an interesting concept. I’m powered by sugar and yeast also, but people just tell me I have a drinking problem, they don’t thank me for bringing power to the poor masses. AfriGadget » Blog Archive » Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator. [...]
Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
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Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
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Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
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slowly that would happen — check out the video after the break, and then wake up and wipe the drool off your face, slick. [Via BoingBoing] Continue reading Video of the yeast-and-sugar powered generator in action: experience the power of boringRead| Permalink | Email this | Comments
slowly that would happen — check out the video after the break, and then wake up and wipe the drool off your face, slick. [Via BoingBoing] Continue reading Video of the yeast-and-sugar powered generator in action: experience the power of boringRead| Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Remember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the
Remember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the
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Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
Misc. GadgetsRemember that yeast-and-sugar-powered generator from Dr. Cedrick Ngalande of Malawi we spotted a while back? Ol’ Ced’s back with a video of the system in action — and an explanation of how it works, to boot. Just as most of you guessed, the system is
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Most people commenting on this are surely not intelligent - certainly not engineers. What matters is not how fast that rotor moves, it is about how powerful or heavy it is. Because even if it moves slowly, if it is heavy enough you can connected small geared motor which will in turn fast and generate the electricity. Looks like most commentators on this forum have no clue about mechanics.
This is a great project which may even find applications in the developed world
la ciencia, y no hay mejor prueba que esta clase de soluciones. Ngalande se encuentra ahora buscando algún socio que le ayude a convertir su idea en un generador comercial de bajo coste. Desde aquí sólo le podemos desear suerte. [Vía BoingBoing]Read| Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
la ciencia, y no hay mejor prueba que esta clase de soluciones. Ngalande se encuentra ahora buscando algún socio que le ayude a convertir su idea en un generador comercial de bajo coste. Desde aquí sólo le podemos desear suerte. [Vía BoingBoing]Read| Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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as supposed expressions of horror. Over and over it has been declared “the world’s forgotten crises.” There are reasons why Darfur is in the crises of the day, the poster crises, and why Congo is hardly mentioned.“ Video from Africa:Small scale generator powered by sugar and yeast(AfriGadget 1/23/08)
as supposed expressions of horror. Over and over it has been declared “the world’s forgotten crises.” There are reasons why Darfur is in the crises of the day, the poster crises, and why Congo is hardly mentioned.“ Video from Africa:Small scale generator powered by sugar and yeast(AfriGadget 1/23/08)
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[...] QUOTE(BryanJK @ Jan 16 2008, 01:44 PM) The weight engine is not possible in real life, but Zeos' is. Your "record" means nothing… its also not even the same concept of an engine.The basic concept is possible, feasible, and proven.http://www.afrigadget.com/2008/01/17/dr-ng…ower-generator/ [...]
[...] QUOTE(BryanJK @ Jan 16 2008, 01:44 PM) The weight engine is not possible in real life, but Zeos' is. Your "record" means nothing… its also not even the same concept of an engine.The basic concept is possible, feasible, and proven.http://www.afrigadget.com/2008/01/17/dr-ng…ower-generator/ [...]
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[...] rural Malawi one handcrafted windmill at a time, and Dr. Cedrick Ngalande, creator of a fermentation-powered generator. Mmm, beer (but probably [...]
[...] » Power Your Laptop On Sugar & Yeast January 26, 2008 AfriGadget has a video of an invention that supplies low-cost autonomous electrical power via sugar and [...]
17 January 2008 - 7:32 am - :
[...] Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator [AfriGadget] posted in: Green Favorite this! Send this to a Friend Older MODEM: Cold War Power Plant Transformed into Berlin Art and Music Venue Newer Africa Has Computers; What They Need is Software var federated_media_section = ”; [...]